Ahmedabad, June 3 (IANS) Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has unveiled plans to set up a state-of-the-art ‘Urban House’, a centralised facility that will unify all major urban planning services under one roof.

The project is a key initiative under the Urban Development Year 2025, aiming to modernise civic services and simplify procedures related to land and infrastructure. With an estimated cost of Rs 96 crore, the ‘Urban House’ is expected to be ready in two and a half years.

Officials said that this hub will not only reduce bureaucratic delays but also enhance transparency and accountability in urban governance. The proposed ‘Urban House’ will integrate operations of AMC’s Urban Development, City Planning, and Estate departments, enabling citizens to access crucial services such as zoning certificates, part plans, development permissions, F-forms, betterment charge assessments, and various land-related approvals – all from a single location.

The project is slated to come up at F.P. No. 441, T.P. Scheme No. 3 in Ellisbridge (Changispur), within Navrangpura ward, strategically located near the N.C.C. Circle–Nagari Hospital road.

Spread across 5,304 sq m with a total built-up area of 26,360 sq m, the 13-storey structure will include two basement levels, a ground floor, and ten upper floors. The building will host offices of the Building Plan Scrutiny and Permission (BPSP) cell, City Planning unit, and Town Development Officer (TDO), alongside key infrastructure such as a GIS cell, record storage rooms, training centres, a cafeteria, and senior officials’ offices.

The design also incorporates community-focused spaces, including a terrace garden-canteen and conference halls with modern amenities and high-speed Wi-Fi. Green infrastructure is central to the project’s vision.

AMC aims for a Platinum Rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), with planned features like solar panels, water conservation systems, wastewater recycling, energy-efficient architecture, and eco-certified materials ensuring long-term sustainability.

The premises will also include 1,055 sq m of landscaped garden area and a 138 sq m roof garden. Parking infrastructure is set to accommodate 140 four-wheelers and 1,184 two-wheelers across the two basement levels.

Highlighting the growing scale of urban planning operations, AMC officials noted a sharp rise in revenue from these departments over the past three fiscal years – Rs 1,170 crore in 2022–23, Rs 2,017 crore in 2023–24, and Rs 2,765 crore in 2024–25 – bringing total earnings to Rs 5,952 crore.

–IANS

janvi/dan